Intra- and extra-familial child homicide in Sweden 1992-2012: A population-based study

Forensic analysis of minor victims from homicide cases in Shanghai, China: A 11-year retrospective study

Homicide involving minors (under 18 years old) has always posed challenges for forensic experts. This study aims to summarize the forensic characteristics of minor victims from homicide cases in Shanghai (2010-2020), and retrospectively analyzed statistical changes over different periods. Of the 120 investigated minor victims, 66 were males and 54 were females. They were categorized into five age groups: < 1 (25, 20.8 %), 1-4 (31, 25.8 %), 5-9 (14, 11.7 %), 10-14 (20, 16.7 %) and 15-17 (30, 25.0 %) years old (y/o). Female perpetrators were observed more frequently among victims aged < 1 y/o compared to those aged 1-17 y/o (P < 0.0001). Mechanical injury was the most common method of injury (65, sharp injury 36, blunt injury 30), followed by mechanical asphyxia (53) and firearm (1). No victims were associated with drugs. Mechanical asphyxia was more prevalent among victims under 9 y/o (75.7 %, 53/70), while the majority of victims aged 10-17 suffered from sharp or blunt injuries (78.0 %, 39/50). Sharp injuries increased with age, while mechanical asphyxia decreased. Shanghai had low minor homicide rates in 2010-2020 due to effective child protection measures, but incomplete autopsies in some cases remained an issue. Compared to 1999-2009, the number of homicide minor victims in Shanghai decreased, but their proportion in all age groups increased. Age distribution and injury methods changed, with a decrease in minors aged 15-17 and incidents of mechanical asphyxia was observed in 2010-2020.

Associations Between Mental Disorders, Personality Disorders, and Filicide-Suicide and Parental Suicide: A Nationwide Cohort Study

AIM

Filicide-suicide represents a critical intersection of psychiatric and familial crises, yet the literature remains scant on differentiated risk profiles among family members. This study addresses a gap in understanding the specific mental health correlates of filicide-suicide, especially within a comprehensive family context, distinct from traditional parental or child-focused perspectives.

METHOD

This study used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database to identify a nationally representative sample of families from 2004 to 2020, with continuous monitoring extending into 2021. Families were classified into those affected by filicide-suicide, parental suicide, and those without such incidents. Multinomial logistic regression was conducted to explore the association between family status and mental health. Analyses of effect modification were conducted to evaluate whether low-income status modified these relationships.

RESULTS

The study encompassed 1,898,299 families, revealing that filicide-suicide is notably rare, with an incidence of 1.64 deaths per 100,000 newborn children from 2004 to 2020, with an increasing trend observed after 2014. Fathers and children in filicide-suicide families had the highest prevalence of mental disorders, followed by those in parental-suicide families and then other families (those where no child has been recorded as a homicide victim and no parent has committed suicide). There was a tendency for stronger associations between filicide-suicide families and paternal schizophrenia as well as autistic spectrum disorder in children among low-income families.

CONCLUSION

The findings underscore the profound impact of severe mental disorders within the familial framework, emphasizing the need for an integrated approach to mental health care that considers the familial context in order to better predict and prevent such devastating events.

Filicide and criminal justice outcomes: Are maternal and paternal perpetrators treated differently?

BACKGROUND

Most child homicides are committed by a perpetrator who has a maternal or paternal relationship with their victim which is commonly referred to as filicide. Previous research has examined differences in how maternal and paternal perpetrators are discussed in the media but there is a paucity of research comparing the treatment of maternal and paternal perpetrators in the criminal justice system.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study is to examine whether criminal justice outcomes vary for male and female perpetrators of filicide.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

This study examines 298 cases of filicide between 1985 and 2018 in Ontario, Canada.

METHODS

Bivariate and multivariate analyses are used to compare charges, convictions, conviction types, sentence types, and sentence lengths imposed on maternal and paternal filicide perpetrators.

RESULTS

Results show that maternal perpetrators are less likely to be convicted (Odds = 0.279, p < 0.01), less likely to be convicted of murder (Odds = 0.364, p < 0.01), less likely to receive a prison sentence (Odds = 0.087, p < 0.01), and receive sentences that are shorter on average (B = -2.183, p < 0.001) compared to paternal perpetrators.

CONCLUSIONS

Future research should examine how criminal justice actors weigh and consider the motives and broader social and structural factors that may lead to filicide when determining criminal justice outcomes. An integrated social role and medicalization framework may allow researchers to develop a better understanding of these results.

A Descriptive Study of the Characteristics of Homicide-Suicide in Forensic Autopsy Cases

Homicide followed by suicide (HS) is a tragic event with varied characteristics across countries and regions. Compared to Western countries, there are limited studies on HS in Asian countries. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the characteristics of recent HS cases by examining forensic autopsy records from 2008 to 2020 collected from the Department of Legal Medicine, Chiba University, in Japan. A total of 77 HS cases were identified, involving 77 perpetrators (52 completed suicides, 25 attempted suicides), with 28 perpetrator and 89 victim autopsies. Our findings showed that older adults accounted for nearly half of the victims; victims were mostly females, whereas most perpetrators were male. The most common HS relationship was that between a parent and a child. Autopsy findings showed that the most common cause of death was strangulation, and illegal drugs were detected only in a few cases; however, psychotropic drugs were detected in child victims. No obvious evidence of past child physical abuse by caregivers was found. In contrast, intimate partner violence (IPV) was present, with a history of IPV found in half of HS cases involving adult intimate partner relationships. Notably, gender differences in age and relationship to the victim were identified. Likewise, some perpetrators may have expressed their plans and intentions for HS before the event, which may represent an important sign for HS prevention. However, to accurately reveal the course of HS, nationwide integrated statistics, forensic autopsies, including toxicological analyses of the deceased; and forensic psychiatric perspectives, including psychological autopsy, are required.

Swedish child homicide investigations: A population-based study 1998 to 2017

BACKGROUND

Child homicide investigations are intricate, and the forensic examinations are of paramount importance in such cases. Despite this, the forensic profile of child homicides remains unexplored.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to provide an overview of the forensic aspects and investigational challenges in Swedish child homicide cases spanning from 1998 to 2017, with a specific focus on enhancing investigative methods.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

70 cases with 82 victims (41 girls, 41 boys) aged between 0 and 14 were included.

METHOD

Police, crime scene and autopsy reports of solved Swedish child homicides were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

On average, 3.5 cases (4.1 victims) occurred annually, primarily within families (79 %). Notably, the number of cases increased by 10 % during the latter half of the study period (2008-2017) compared to the initial decade (1998-2007). In nearly 29 % of instances, the perpetrators followed the homicides with their own suicides. A majority of child deaths (89 %) resulted from concentrated acts of violence, most frequently involving blunt or sharp force. Furthermore, 66 % of the homicides took place within the parental home. Adequate crime scene processing, including documentation and evidence collection, occurred in 74 % of cases. The investigation unveiled several complicating factors: 22 % of victims and 47 % of crime scenes displayed no obvious signs of violence. Moreover, offenders often made physical (27 %) and verbal (26 %) attempts to mislead investigators.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, most child homicides are familial in nature and associated with investigational complexities that can lead to misdirection. This research may inform procedural recommendations for child homicide investigations, but further exploration is needed to better understand the forensic characteristics of suspicious child deaths.

Trends in Homicide Hospitalization and Mortality in Taiwan, 1998-2015

In Taiwan, the national research on homicide is rare, mostly discussing the issue of child abuse. We sought to better understand the characteristics and risk factors of homicide through a retrospective cohort study from 1998 to 2015. “Child battering and other maltreatment” ranked first for the 0–4 age group and second for the 5–14 age group. The hospital mortality was 511 deaths. We found that the 25–44 age group had the highest risk and accounted for 44.76% of hospitalization. The most common causes were “fight, brawl, and rape” (49.12%), “cutting and piercing instruments,” (13.16%) and “child battering and other forms of maltreatment” (4.72%). Additionally, the percentages of “fight, brawl, and rape,” “firearms and explosives,” and “cutting and piercing instruments” were significantly higher among males than among females. The percentages of “hanging and strangulation,” “corrosive or caustic substance,” “child battering and other maltreatment,” “submersion,” and “poisoning” were significantly higher among females than males. Factors associated with homicide in-hospital mortality included gender, age, low income, catastrophic disease, Charlson comorbidity index score, urbanization level, hospital level, classification of hospitalization, and surgery. Overall, the trend of hospitalization rates due to homicide decreased both by gender and age group, except for the 0–4 age group: cause of homicide first, hanging and strangulation second, firearms and explosives third; type of injury, hospitalized patients with “vascular injuries” first, joint and muscle sprain, and intracranial, chest, and abdominal pelvic injuries second, and “burns” third with a higher risk of death. Homicide reduction requires a comprehensive strategy beyond specific victim groups. Interagency collaboration should be strengthened, especially between law enforcement/criminal justice and public health.

Injury-Related Healthcare Use and Risk of Filicide Victimization: A Population-Based Case-Control Study

Research on child-related risk factors for filicide is scant. We investigated whether prior healthcare use for injury (including poisoning) influences filicide risk. Victims (0-14 years; n = 71) were identified in a national autopsy database for the years 1994-2012 and compared to matched, general population controls (n = 355). Healthcare use data were retrieved from a national patient registry. Risks were estimated using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). For females, prior inpatient care for injury conferred a statistically significant sevenfold risk (OR = 6.67 [95% CI: 1.49-29.79]), and any prior injury-related healthcare use conferred a statistically significant fourfold risk (OR = 3.57 [95% CI: 1.13-11.25]), of filicide victimization. No statistically significant risks were found for males. Healthcare personnel should be aware that children treated for injuries, especially females, may be at an elevated risk of filicide victimization. Nevertheless, the filicide base rate remains low, and parents may be stigmatized by unfounded alerts; thus, prudent reflection should precede reports to the authorities.

Death of a seven-month-old child in a washing machine: a case report

The authors present a case which brings out a unique modality of child homicide by placing the baby in a washing machine and turning it on. The murder was perpetrated by the baby's mother, who suffered from a serious depressive disorder. A postmortem RX and then a forensic autopsy were performed, followed by histologic examinations and toxicology. On the basis of the results of the autopsy, as well as the histology and the negative toxicological data, the cause of death was identified as acute asphyxia. This diagnosis was rendered in light of the absence of other causes of death, as well as the presence of typical signs of asphyxia, such as epicardial and pleural petechiae and, above all, the microscopic examinations, which pointed out a massive acute pulmonary emphysema. Regarding the cause of the asphyxia, at least two mechanisms can be identified: drowning and smothering. In addition, the histology of the brain revealed some findings that can be regarded as a consequence of the barotrauma due to the centrifugal force applied by the rotating drum of the washing machine. Another remarkable aspect is that we are dealing with a mentally-ill assailant. In fact, the baby's mother, after a psychiatric examination, was confirmed to be suffering from a mental illness-a severe depressive disorder-and so she was adjudicated not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity. This case warrants attention because of its uniqueness and complexity and, above all, its usefulness in the understanding of the pathophysiology of this particular manner of death.